Aisha “Pinky” Cole Hayes, the proprietor and operator of Slutty Vegan, has a number of superstar followers. That’s no shock, contemplating her knack for making meals that’s beloved by vegans, carnivores, and everybody in between. The previous-food-truck-turned-chain gained the guts of the celebrities again in its early days, with the likes of Snoop Dogg, Tyler Perry, and others singing the praises of its towering vegan burgers.
Cole Hayes opened the primary brick-and-mortar model of the vegan fast-food joint in Atlanta again in January 2019. Slutty Vegan has since multiplied, with a number of places throughout Georgia, one in Alabama and Texas, and the recently-opened spots in Brooklyn and Harlem, New York.
Slutty Vegan’s legacy
New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams, who follows a plant-based weight-reduction plan, praised the restaurant’s enlargement to the Large Apple in a video. “Anybody who is aware of me is aware of that I prefer to eat wholesome and plant-based. We love our brothers and sisters in Atlanta but it surely was about time you introduced your vegan burgers right here to the best metropolis on the planet,” he stated.
Cole Hayes isn’t stopping with NYC—she plans to open 20 new eating places by the tip of 2023.
Slutty Vegan
There’s little question that Cole Hayes’ provocative-named vegan burgers—just like the Heaux Boy and the Fussy Hussy—have propelled Slutty Vegan into the stratosphere of fame. Her success has occurred side-by-side with collaborations with Steve Madden and The Lip Bar, an advisory function at DoorDash, and a cookbook.
However, Cole Hayes’ philanthropy has additionally boosted her superstar standing. Her charity, the Pinky Cole Basis, focuses on supporting younger Black entrepreneurs. In 2019, she helped pay the tutoring of 30 Clark Atlanta College college students. And in 2022, she gifted an LLC to each graduating scholar at Clark Atlanta College’s graduation ceremony. Even some superstar followers have gotten in on the motion. Rapper Jermaine Dupri helped Cole Hayes with an initiative that rewarded voters with free vegan burgers.
Who’re Slutty Vegan’s superstar followers?
Cue the refrain of “Celebrities! They’re identical to us.” Listed below are simply a few of Slutty Vegan’s superstar followers.
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1 Usher
Again in Slutty Vegan’s early days in 2019, Usher sang the fast-food joint’s praises. The Grammy Award-winning rapper—who started his music profession in Atlanta—paid the restaurant a go to to strive the Ménages à Trois burger, which includes a patty with vegan bacon, vegan shrimp, vegan cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, and its signature sauce on a Hawaiian bun.
“I’m feeling frisky, right here we go,” Usher stated in a video shared throughout Slutty Vegan’s social media platforms. “That is good.”
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2 Viola Davis
Academy Award-winning actor Viola Davis is one in every of Slutty Vegan’s largest superstar followers. The star of epic historic drama The Girl King first caught wind of the restaurant in its meals truck days. She was such a fan, that she booked the truck for catering whereas she was filming, per Essence.
“We have been in a pandemic the place we have been watching George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor on a loop,” Davis informed the journal. “And it was a relentless reminder that we have been, and have been on this nation, the leftovers. It’s wonderful how individuals come to life when they’re cared for, after they’re actually considered in any means—their well being, their pleasure, their consolation. And maybe the key sauce to her firm, aside from completely superior meals, is that she cares about her individuals.”
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3 Snoop Dogg
It’s protected to say that Snoop Dogg is a fan of vegan meals, contemplating his historical past of selling Past Meat. However, he’s additionally one in every of Slutty Vegan’s unique superstar followers. In a 2019 video, he was captured noshing on fries—we assume that he already demolished the burger. Though Snoop Dogg didn’t have a lot to say, he gave the cashier an enthusiastic thumbs-up—we agree, Snoop.
@sluttyveganatl/Instagram
4 Spike Lee
Filmmaker Spike Lee was photographed at Slutty Vegan’s current opening in Brooklyn. The restaurant captioned the photograph of the director, screenwriter, and producer with “We expect it’s protected to say @officialSpikeLee is aware of the right way to ‘Do the proper factor!’”
5 Shaquille O’Neal
In 2022, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal candidly shared that he’s been reducing again his meat consumption. And, he’s discovered that Slutty Vegan satisfies his cravings for the kind of meals that he desires to eat.
On an episode of the present City Eats & Treats hosted by comic Rip Michaels, Shaq stated, “It’s not that I’m going vegan. My pal launched me to this place and it’s wholesome. For instance, I like cheeseburgers, proper? However the way in which [Cole Hayes] cooks it, I can eat wholesome, however nonetheless really feel like I’m consuming unhealthy.”
@lenawaithe/Instagram
6 Lena Waithe
The award-winning actor, screenwriter, and producer is yet one more superstar fan of Slutty Vegan. Waithe’s love for Cole Hayes’ super-stacked burgers goes means again to 2018. “That’s good,” Waithe remarked between bites.
Slutty Vegan captioned the video, “It’s protected to say @lenawaithe has been #SLUTTIFIED.”
True to Cole Hayes’ charitable nature, she and Waithe—together with actor Gabrielle Union, former NBA All-Star Dwayne Wade, singer Janelle Monáe, and rapper Ludacris—helped cowl the funeral prices of a 15-year-old who died by suicide after being targetted with anti-gay bullying.
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7 Tyler Perry
Comic Tyler Perry is a very vocal fan of Slutty Vegan. Perry was captured on video sampling the fast-food munchies again in 2018, when Slutty Vegan was nonetheless in its meals truck days. “It’s protected to say that mama, WE made it,” Slutty Vegan captioned the Instagram publish that includes the entertainer.
“That is too good to be vegan. That is actually good,” he stated earlier than breaking right into a dance. Good meals makes us really feel that means, too.
@gabunion
8 Gabrielle Union
In June 2020, actor Gabrielle Union was amongst a number of stars who “purchased out” Slutty Vegan for the day as a thanks for Cole Hayes’ philanthropic efforts. The consequence? Free meals for guests all day.
“Such nice meals and really nice individuals!! Glad we may assist out. Hate won’t ever win #WeAllWeGot #StrongerTogether,” Union tweeted on the time.
The hashtags are a nod to the backlash that occurred after Cole Hayes introduced that she would pay the school tuition charges of the 4 kids of Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by Atlanta police in June 2020. Naysayers flooded Cole Hayes’ enterprise with destructive on-line critiques, sparking an outpouring of assist from celebrities and the non-famous alike.
Eat Simply
9 Chris Paul
NBA All-Star Chris Paul was one other superstar who helped make Slutty Vegan meals freed from cost for a day in 2020. However, in June 2021, in honor of Juneteenth, he declared that free meals was on the menu once more.
“Within the spirit of Juneteenth, I’m honored to assist a Black-owned enterprise whereas dedicating assets to feed the neighborhood,” Paul stated on the time. “Let’s rejoice this Saturday.”
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10 Ludacris
Ludacris first started rapping in Atlanta, so it’s no surprise that the Grammy-award-winning rapper would present Slutty Vegan some love. The “Cash Maker” rapper helped make Slutty Vegan meals free for guests in Atlanta again in 2020.
@jermainedupri/Instagram
11 Jermaine Dupri
As talked about above, Dupri performed a job in Cole’s initiative to encourage Atlanta locals to train their proper to vote. The music mogul’s love for Slutty Vegan and charitable endeavors remains to be going robust. Final summer time, Dupri personally served up catering that the restaurant offered throughout Folks for the Moral Remedy of Animal’s (PETA) annual Congressional Veggie Canine Lunch occasion on Capitol Hill.
These aren’t all of Slutty Vegan’s followers. In response to a number of press releases, the restaurant’s well-known guests embrace multi-hyphenates Colin Kaepernick, Queen Latifah, Will Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Martin Lawrence, Taraji P. Henson, Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, and extra. Along with incomes the love of New York Metropolis’s personal Mayor Adams, Slutty Vegan has additionally gained a political follower in Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff.
For extra vegan fast-food guides, learn:
Kat Smith is a Queens, NY-based freelance author and editor who loves cooking and discovering native vegan hidden gems.
